A rotor is used to support the targeted adjustment of the phase position between a camshaft and a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine. For this purpose, it is typically held as part of a camshaft adjuster in a stator that is locked in rotation with the crankshaft. In the installed state, the rotor is locked in rotation with the camshaft and can be adjusted relative to the stator, wherein a rotation of the camshaft can be achieved relative to the stator within a predetermined angular range. This makes it possible, for example, for the output of an internal combustion engine to be selectively increased or its fuel consumption to be reduced.
In the installed state, each of the vanes of a rotor divide up pressure chambers that are typically constructed in the stator into hydraulic areas that are charged with hydraulic fluid for controlling the camshaft adjuster. This produces gaps that are functionally dependent, in particular, on the contact point of the rotor vane and the lateral surface of the stator, wherein the hydraulic fluid can go from one hydraulic area into another in an uncontrolled manner. To reduce this undesired internal leakage, different concepts are known for sealing.
From WO 2007/088108 A1, a rotor of the type noted above is known that is used in a camshaft adjuster for an internal combustion engine. The rotor has a number of radially oriented vanes that form seals in the area of their end face relative to the inner lateral surface of the stator. For sealing the hydraulic areas that are separated from each other by the vanes, WO 2007/088108 A1 proposes the use of a separate sealing element. The sealing element is constructed with a U-shaped base cross section with a base leg oriented in the peripheral direction and two side legs oriented in the radial direction. The U-shaped base cross section can surround the entire end area of the end side of the rotor vane from the outside. Another variant provides that the vane has grooves on the end and the side legs of the separate sealing element engage in these grooves.
WO 2006/111217 A1 discloses a rotor as part of a device for the camshaft adjustment of an internal combustion engine, wherein this rotor is constructed as a rotor base body with a number of grooves. The rotor vanes are inserted into these grooves. A separate, so-called spring element is here arranged between the groove base and the rotor vane. This spring element, first, pushes the rotor vane radially outward and, second, forms a sealing contact on the groove base. The spring element acts the same way accordingly as a spring and sealing element and thus prevents the flow of hydraulic fluid between the hydraulic areas both between the vane end of the rotor vane and also in the groove base within the rotor base body.
From DE 199 805 80 T1, a vane rotor that is part of a valve timing control device for an internal combustion engine is also known. The vanes of the rotor are provided with a retaining groove cut in the axial direction on the end surface of the vane end. In this retaining groove, a separate sealing element can be fit that is in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the stator. The sealing element is also held with a leaf spring in the retaining groove of the vane.
All of the constructions mentioned above for a rotor do provide a possibility for the reduction of the leakage within a camshaft adjuster, but separate sealing elements are disadvantageously associated with additional effort in terms of production and added costs.